The original article can be found in: The Freeport Post By Sharell Lockhart
The current state of Grand Bahama’s health care sector and improvements that must be made to it continues to be a hot button topic among residents.
Peter Turnquest, Member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama, recently expressed his concerns with the lack of government investment into the islandâ s health care sector and its decision to call off expansion plans initially created by the former administration for the Rand Memorial Hospital.
He said, “The former Government of The Bahamas had a plan in place for the improvement of the health care services here on Grand Bahama.
“The former administration spent $2 million in the acquisition of the former Freeport Inn/Island Palm Hotel property, which it had intended to use for the expansion of the hospital (Rand Memorial Hospital) facility.
“Unfortunately, the current administration nixed plans left by the former administration for the expansion of the existing facility through the use of the property that was acquired, much to the disappointment of many.
“And today there remains an inadequate number of beds at the hospital (RMH) hence, patients who cannot ordinarily be housed on the wards are being placed in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) which commonly creates a shortage in that unit as well.”
According to the MP there has been talk by the government about plans for a new facility, however no one has come to the table as yet to expand upon how and when it is going to be realized.
He noted that looking at politics for what it is and the economy as it exists, the question must be raised as to when can we the people reasonably expect some kind of improvement to our current circumstance?
“We are a first world country and Grand Bahama is a first world city hence, the people deserve to have first-world health care facilities here especially as our aim is to expand the economy and attract more businesses and residents.
“I think if we are indeed serious about developing this island then the improvement of our health care sector must be a central focus particularly with the increasing need we have for a proper health care facility to be established,” said Turnquest.
Right now vital attention is not being paid to this situation apart from traditional lip service and it would have been good for government to have provided the community with some update on their plan going forward as it concerns the property and any plans for investment and improvement to the health care sector, Turnquest opined.
Initially the government revealed it had planned to use the property (Freeport Inn/Island Palm Hotel) as a homeless shelter amid the economic recession that caused many families to be displaced however, businesses and residents in the surrounding area protested against the idea.
Presently it is unknown what plans may be underway for the property by the government and this too induced a reaction from Turnquest.
He said, “The property was a $2 million investment by the government of The Bahamas and for it to just be sitting there languished does not make sense and is a waste of investment capital particularly in this time when we need funds for other things.
“I never believed it was the appropriate spot for a shelter and the community spoke very loudly on that at the time it was initially proposed.
“Quite frankly it is a central area which lends itself to the kind of facility that was planned for it so I urge the government to look again at the plan left in place for the property,” said Turnquest.
On another note, Turnquest revealed he is pleased with the work that is being carried out on the health care facility in McLean’s Town as well as the cosmetic work being done to the clinic in the High Rock community but says other issues need to be addressed by the government as it regards emergency medical and fire services in the East Grand Bahama constituency.
“We need for the High Rock facility to be expanded especially for patients to be held overnight who do not require hospitalization but instead need to be temporarily monitored and wish to be closer to home and their loved ones.
“Also of critical need is to locate an EMS (Emergency Medical Service) and fire services in the High Rock community preferably so that we have better response time to emergencies in the far east.
“Right now we have to wait 40 minutes for the fire truck and ambulance to come from Freeport and that is just not acceptable in this kind of time,” Turnquest declared.
